Though the show performed very poorly in its first season, ratings-starved NBC stuck with it and the show soon became a hit and a cornerstone of the network’s Thursday night line-up.

The Cheers bar was based on the Bull & Finch tavern near Beacon Hill in Boston. Though it looks quite different on the inside, millions of tourists have flocked there to see the inspiration for their favorite television watering hole.

Should this layoff receive media attention?

The bar was reasonably popular but once the sitcom became popular, Doyle began serving 5,000 people a day. He’s signed thousands of autographs over the years and helped to raise big bucks for charity. He’s introduced dozens of singles who went on to marry and held numerous fundraisers that attracted thousands — from the homeless to the rich and famous.

Doyle’s layoff comes as a result of the economic slump, says bar owner Tom Kershaw. He delivered the bad news a couple weeks ago and says he’ll continue to send the barkeep a check until the end of the year. He told The Boston Globe, “It was very tough. Personally, for me, it was a disaster. Eddie and I have been friends for 40 years.”